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O. E. HOUSER AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20 Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET la 0. E. HOUSER.

AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20. me.

1,821,920. Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

0rv2'22e E. House)" onvinnn E. Hon'snn, on crrrnnicorrm, oI-Iio.

AIR-COMPRESSOR;

instead Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1916. Serial No. 110,262.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORVILLE E- Horisnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chillicothe, in the county of Ross and State of Uhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Compressors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to air compressors and is particularly directed to a compressor unit which may be installed in garages or, in fact, any place Where a uniform air supply is desired. The main object of my invention resides in a comparatively simple type of structure whereby a uniform pres sure may always be maintained, the compressor itself being rendered inoperative when the predetermined pressure has been reached.

A further object of my invention resides in novel means of supporting and also of driving the compressor. This novel supporting means take the form of hangers directly supported from the drive shaft, thus leaving the air cylinder and its component. parts suspended thereon. Further,

the driving mechanism is directly connected to the supporting shaft whereby the compressor may be supported any place desired and may also be adjustable in its support between bearings for the line shaft.

Still a further object of this invention resides in the novel combination of elements serving as an automatic cut off for the air supply when the tank pressure has reached a predetermined amount. As a primary element for accomplishing this automatic cut ofl', I use a Bourdon tube so connected and arranged that the supply of air to the tank is automatically cut off when the desired pressure is reached.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and in which: i Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of my air compressor shown suspended from its driving shaft,

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the upper or driving portion of the compressor structure,

Fig. 3 is a view in central vertical section through the lower portion of the air cylinder,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line H ofFig. 3, and, a

Fig; 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4: and showing the adjustment means for determining the pressure at which the compressor structure is rendered inoperative.

In these several views, the air compressor proper is shown as comprising a cylinder 1 of the ordinary type within which a piston 2, connected to a connecting rod 3, operates. This cylinder is preferably held in inverted position as is shown and its upper inverted endis provided with a pair of outstanding pierced lugs 4: within which the hanger rods 5 are supported. The upper ends of these hanger rods carry bearings 6 which may be of any preferred type and which form the means for supporting the compressor as a whole, from the line or drive shaft 7. It will be understood that this line shaft is rotatably journaled in .the bearings 6 and in order to add stability to some degree to prevent the cylinder from rocking during its normal operation, tie rods or brace rods 8 may be provided and may be attached to any convenient point. The upper end of the connecting rod 3 provided with an eccentric structure 9 of such size that a complete rotation of the line shaft 7 causes the piston to move from one end of the cylinder to the other. From this arrangement, it will be apparent that such wear may occur to thebearings 6 during their continued use, will in no way affect the successful operation of the compressor, since any wear which takes place would occur on the upper half of the bearings 6 and this would simply very slightly increase the clearance be tween the end of the piston 2 and the cylinder head. Thus it will appear, that the compressor may be supported at any desired position upon the line shaft 7 and further, that the compressor is adjustable as to its position along its line shaft between its sup porting bearings. This is a decided advantage in a great many places, since it is often desirable to shift the compressor to make room for machines of other types.

Referring to Fig. 3, the cylinder head is designated by the reference numeral 10 and this head is provided with a pair of valve seats to receive the intake valve 11 and the exhaust valve 12. Both of these valves 11 and 12 are suitably supported within fittings 13 screwed into the head 10, as is shown and both valves are urged toward their seat by means of separate springs designated by the reference numeral 14;. The lower end of the valve stem 15 of the exhaust valve is slidably fitted in the cap 16, while the stem 17 of the intake valve projects through this cap 18 and carries the cup element 19 at its lower end iii-which its spring 14' rests, this cup element being locked in position by means of the lock nut shown at 20. Depending from the head 10 are a pair of bolts 21, which bolts rigidly carry the table strip 22 at their lower ends. Pivotally secured, at 23 to' this table strip 22 is'a bell crank 24, whose long arm 25 projects out a distance to be movable beneath the lock nut or wearing nut 20 on the lower end of the stem 17 of the intake valve.

The arrangement is such that when the pressure has reached a predetermined amount, the arm 25 of this bell crank is der will also be exhausted through this same valve when the piston 2 descends. The means for so moving this bell crank is the Bourdon tube shown at 26. The rear end of this tube is connected at 27 to a short by pass section 28 of the conduit 29 leading passage through the pipe 30. This storage to the storage reservoir, this pipe 29 being also 1n communicatlon with the exhaust tank has not been shown, but it is believed that this principle is understood well enough so as not to be necessary to add this to the drawings, it being suflicient to state thatthe conduit 29 leads to this storage tank and that the Bourdon tube 26 is in communication with the air in this tank through the by pass 28. The opposite end of this Bourdon tube is pivotally connected at 29 to a link 29 which connects this spring with the short arm 30 of the bell crank. The means of pivotally connecting this link 29 with the arm 30 is shown in detail in Figs. 4' and 5 and comprises a stud 31 hav ing a threaded shank 32 onits underside,

. which stud is rigidly secured to the arm 30 by means of this shank and the nut The top surface of the stud is drilled and tapped slightly off its center to receive the screw 34, which screw in reality forms the means ofpivotal connection between-"the link 29 and the bellcrank arm 30.

Thus, when the pressure within the storage tank increases due to the continued operation of the compressor structure, the Bourdon tube will tend to straighten out and its free end thus causes the bell crank 24L'to move about its pivotal center 23 to gradually bring the arm 25 to a position be neath the valve stem- 17. On each suction stroke of the piston, it will be understood that this valve is elevated from its seat and consequently thestem is also elevated and it is 'duriingfone of these elevated periods that the arm 25 is permitted to slide into a position beneath the stem. When this occurs, the valve 11 is held from its seat so that the air drawn into the cylinder will also be exhausted through the opening thus created and will not enter the storage tank through the valve 12. Should it be desired to vary the pressure at which the structure is rendered inoperative, the stud 31 is adjusted about its center shank 32 which correspondingly moves the point of pivotal connection 34; between the link 29 and the upper side of the stud 31. This causes a shifting of the short arm 30 which correspondingly shifts the long arm 25 either toward or away from the valve stem, depend ing upon the direction in which the stud 31 is rotated.

From theforegoin description, taken in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings, it will be apparent that I have provided a comparatively simple type of air compressor and one which may be readily held supported or suspended from the line shaft, as may be desired. Further, it will be apparent that comparatively simple means for regulating the pressure at which this compressor structure is rendered inoperative, are also provided. This pressure may be regulated by simply turning the stud 31 about its central shank 3.2 which correspondingly shifts the pivotal center thus moving the bell crank about its center to cause the long arm 25 to clmnge its relative position with respect to the under surface of the intake valve stem 17 On the suction stroke of the piston, this valve stem is elevated, which permits its long arm 25 to assume a position beneath the valve stem to hold it open to thereby permit the exhaust of the air througl'i the intake valve after it has been drawn into the same.

What I claim, is:

1. In an air compressor, in combination, a piston, a cylinder, a compressed air pipe leading from said cylinder, an intake valve and stem in said cylinder, a Bourdon tube in communication with said pipe, a pivotally supported bell crank, a link connection between one arm of said bell crank and the free end of said tube to move the other arm under said valve stem when the pressure has reached a predetermined amount, and means for adjusting said link connection to vary the pressure at which said valve is held open.

2. In an air compressor, in combination, a cylinder suspended from a drivin shaft and disposed head downward, pressure responsive inlet and exhaust valve structures situated in the head of said cylinder, a discharge pipe structure extendingfrom said exhaust valve structure, a Bourdon tube in communication with said pipe structure, a shiftable lever supported by said cylinder and arranged to engage when in an active to vary the pressure at which the latter will position with said inlet structure to prevent be operated. 10

actuation of the latter, means connected In testimony whereof I affix my signature with the free end of said tube and said lever in presence of two witnesses.

to throw the latter to an active position ORVILLE E. HOUSER. when the presure in said pipe structure Witnesses: reaches a predetermined poundage, and ad- WARD CARSON,

justable means cooperative with said lever O. G. OUSHMAN. 

